Tottenham and Aston Villa face each other this Saturday in the third round of the FA Cup at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in a match that goes far beyond simple qualification. For Spurs, the game has turned into a survival test. For Villa, it’s another chapter in a moment defined by ambition, consistency, and pressure to deliver titles.
The context leaves little room for gray areas. An elimination could speed up decisions behind the scenes at Tottenham, while a win for Aston Villa would reinforce the sense that Unai Emery’s side has moved past the “surprise” label and become an uncomfortable reality in English soccer.
Tottenham under pressure with its future on the line
The situation at Tottenham is uneasy, and the fans feel it week after week. Just one win in the last five matches, an early exit from the League Cup, and a 14th-place position in the Premier League that doesn’t match the level of investment or the rebuilding talk. Even sitting in the playoff zone for the Champions League, the overall performance this season has been poor and unconvincing.
The 3–2 loss to Bournemouth, decided in the 95th minute by Antoine Semenyo, exposed a fragile team. On top of that, the post-match scenes only raised the temperature, with fans confronting players and head coach Thomas Frank being photographed drinking coffee from a cup featuring the Arsenal badge.
That image didn’t sit well at all. An FA Cup exit would likely put the manager’s job back at the center of the debate, following a recent pattern that has already seen Enzo Maresca and Rúben Amorim dismissed elsewhere in the Premier League. Eight-time FA Cup winners, Tottenham cling to recent history, having progressed in 18 of their last 19 third-round ties, but the present demands more than memories.
Probable Tottenham lineup: Antonín Kinsky; Pedro Porro, Dragusin, Danso, Udogie; João Palhinha, Bentancur; Bergvall, Xavi Simons, Mathys Tel; Richarlison.
Aston Villa arrive strong, even without hitting their peak
On the other side stands an Aston Villa team that has grown used to higher expectations. Unai Emery’s squad recently matched the club’s historic mark of 11 straight wins across all competitions, a run that ended sharply with a 4–1 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. The response was immediate with a win over Nottingham Forest, and the scoreless draw against Crystal Palace in the latest Premier League round didn’t shake the structure of the project.
Villa remain among the league’s top teams, level on points with Manchester City, and still dream of cutting the gap to the leaders. In the FA Cup, a competition they’ve won seven times but haven’t lifted since 1957, there’s another psychological edge: Aston Villa have beaten Tottenham in their last three meetings across all competitions, including a 2–1 league win at Villa Park in October. Repeating the feat away from home, something the club hasn’t done against the same opponent since the 2012/13 season, would be another sign of strength in what has been a strong campaign.
Probable Aston Villa lineup: Emiliano Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Ian Maatsen; Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Buendía (Sancho); Ollie Watkins (Malen).
Where to watch Tottenham vs Aston Villa in the FA Cup
United Kingdom: BBC Sport Web, BBC One, TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, BBC iPlayer, discovery+, discovery+ App, TNT Sports 9.
Canada: Sportsnet World, Sportsnet Plus, Sportsnet 360.
United States: ESPN Deportes, ESPN Select, fuboTV, ESPN App.
What is the date and kick-off time for Tottenham vs Aston Villa in the FA Cup
United Kingdom: 5:30 PM.
United States and Canada (Eastern Time – EST): 12:30 PM.
United States and Canada (Pacific Time – PST): 9:30 AM.